A month ago, as I walked past Monroe Park early in the morning, through the mist of my breath, I saw a long line of people. A van sat to the side of the line, underneath the marquee of the theater, but the people were not buying tickets. They were there to eat.
In the line, men and women of all races stood patiently. Some smoked cigarettes. Many laughed. Some wore tattered clothes; others carried sleeping bags and suitcases. Everyone smiled. As I approached, on the van I read the name of a local Korean church. The parishioners, hidden from my view by the van, dispensed hot food on a cold morning.
Then, from somewhere a question popped into mind: to whom will you give your talents and your time?
***
Early November marks my favorite time of year. The holidays approach, the weather cools, the leaves hang on for their final moments of colored brilliance. November 10th and 11th commemorate the birthday of the Marine Corps and Veterans Day, my personal Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. On the 10th, I send and receive several dozen messages from fellow Marines. We offer up our jokes and well-wishes. For me, whether in the company of Marines or simply sending and receiving texts to some far away, I feel the same sense of gratitude and belonging. From the yellow footprints of Parris Island to my final days in uniform, the Marine Corps allowed me to join a tribe, identified my shortcomings, and burned away those flaws as best it could. The Marines who surrounded me, men and women far better than I, toughened me, sharpened me, and taught me to strive to be the best.
Similar to the Marine Corps’ Birthday, Veterans Day marks on a grander scale the sacrifices and commitments of all service members, and the gift they give us all, freedom. Every veteran at one point swore to defend the Constitution of the United States, every veteran’s pledge backed up by spirit and blood. Every veteran with hand raised implicitly stated, “For you, I will go.”
***
But, you need not have laced up combat boots, carried a pack, or shot an M-16 to do what most veterans have done. When I recall the men and women of the church, delivering hot food to hungry people that day, I think of America at its best. The lines some people use to divide us had disappeared — that old spirit of one American helping another still alive and well. Our people, working together, solving our biggest problems.
As I reflect on this Veterans Day, I remember that question that jumped into my mind, and I’ll be so bold as to issue you a challenge. This week, or this month, or this year ask yourself, “To whom will I give my talents and my time?”
And then after you answer it, like any veteran, forward march and do some good for those in need.
Thank you for reading.
